Page 7 - ISSUE 12

REV THEORY
ROCKNATION ISSUE 12 PAGE 7

Interview with Rich Luzzi and Julien Jorgensen of Rev Theory.
by Mary Ouellette, Live photos by Mary Ouellette
Rev Theory (Rich Luzzi on vocals, Matty McCloskey on bass, Julien Jorgensen on
guitar, Dave Agoglia on drums and Rikki Lixx on guitar) released their sophomore
album “Light it Up’ in June of this year, their first album on a major label. While
the band may be new to big time labels, it is no stranger to the struggles of keeping
their heads above water. They didn’t get where they are overnight, it’s been an
uphill battle all the way and one they wouldn’t trade for the world.
With the two single off of the album (Hell Yeah and Light it Up) being heard all
over the place from video games to The National Football League I was
looking forward to meeting the band behind the in your face rockers like
Favorite Disease and Wanted Man to gut wrenching ballads like Broken Bones.
and STP while gearing up to write the the basic melodies were born. But then,
album. How much of an influence did about a year and a half ago, my mom
this have on the album? Rich: For sure. was sick, she had cancer, and I was
Also our producer is a huge fan of those home and that’s where the song actu-
Mary: I’ve heard that originally Rich and I received your bio in the mail a few bands and the producers who produced ally took shape and that was the actual
Dave met in college in MA? Are you are months back and realized it was penned those bands so I motivation. That was one
actually from MA or were you just going by the one and only Lonn Friend. Was think it really drew a of the earliest songs that
to college here? Rich: It started here. that something you were involved in lot out of us. we wrote for the record
We went to college together, we went to orchestrating or was the label respon- Julien: Before that I and it stayed the course.
Merrimack College.Mary: What were you sible? Rich: We educated ourselves with think we were draw- Rich: We play it in the
going to college for?Julien: I was a busi- him when our A&R guy had the idea to ing on our contem- set every night and it
ness major. Rich: I was a have him write our poraries, all the seems to be resonating.
political science major. bio. We agreed bands we had been Mary: I’m sure there’s
Mary: I found that really with him because playing with, and we nothing I can ask you
interesting because a lot nine out of ten were inspired. We that you haven’t already
of people come to that times it’s just wanted to be a little been asked ten million
crossroads in their life and someone working more high energy times already but is there
decide to either pursue at the label writing and a little more anything in particular
music or go to college, but your bio but Lonn aggressive, we basi- about the band that you
you went to college and was a part of rock cally went back and feel gets overlooked in
then found music.. Julien: and roll history. So broke the house interviews that you’d like
We always wanted to be in when they told us of cards down to to share?
a band and pursue a career we thought it was its foundation and Rich: I think that some
in music but it took meeting a cool idea. It was took it from where people don’t realize how
each other to really bring it out of us. also a little intimi- we started and why long we’ve been around,
Mary: I was pleasantly surprised when dating because he’s been around the we started playing they think we’re new
best and the greatest. We were a little music and we drew kids on the block but
intimidated to sit with him and find out from the eighties we’ve been doing this
what he thought about our music and if and the early nine- for seven years and we
he liked the record. We did an in-depth ties, those were our haven’t always had a
interview with him and played for him real influences. Mary: So how have your tour bus and the greatest tours, it didn’t
acoustically before he wrote the bio. fans that followed you from your previ- happen overnight for us.
Julien: It wasn’t really even an interview ous album feel about the new album? Julien: And we’re proud of that too. Our
either, it was just a casual conversation. Have you heard any feedback? Rich: It’s mantra is it takes ten years to have an
He’s a vibe guy and has that cool spirit a mixed feeling. Some people ask why overnight success.
about him. we wrote such a
Mary: Yeah, he’s that kind of guy. So great first ROCKNATION ISSUE 12 2009
let’s talk about Light it Up, the album record and why
didn’t we write
is pretty diverse in the sense that you another one like PUBLISHER - Tom Mathers
have songs that sort of hit every niche
from ballads to arena ready pump fist- that. But then
ing rockers….did you go into writing the there are people WRITERS - Tom Mathers, Mary Ouellette,
album with this sort of formula in mind? happy with the Jeffrey Easton, Brian Rademacher,
Julien: That’s how growth. You can’t “Revn” Kevin LeFebre,
things developed. win them all. You
Between writing can’t please all
our first record in of the people all PHOTOGRAPHY - Tom Mathers, Mary Ouellette,
04/05 to writing of the time only “Revn” Kevin LeFebvre
this new record some of them Phone (281) 550.0988
we had been on some of the time. Fax (775) 719-4768
the road for a From our EXECUTIVE OFFICE www.rocknation.us
good two and a perspective, Rocknation myspace.com/rocknationtv
half years so we we feel like we P.O. Box 841533 rocknation@comcast.net
saw a lot of things already did that Houston, TX 77284
and partied a ton so why would
and lived the life we want to do it
but we also sacrificed a lot as well. We again. Part of life INTERVIEW & PHOTO FEATURES
were broke and going through financial is challenging XXX................................................................page 3
hardships, we were all struggling, we yourself to be bet- HINDER.........................................................page 5
had lost personal relationships, we had ter in all aspects
really seen the down and the upside of every single day. GEORGE LYNCH..........................................page 6
it all so we had a lot to draw from when Mary: The song REV THEORY.................................................page 7
we went to write the new record. I think Broken Bones is HOLY WATER.................................................page 8
a lot of the songs exemplify a particular one of my favor-
experience or they draw from something ites on the album, PAPA ROACH.......................................page 10 & 11
that we had gone through during that I think that’s the YNGWIE MALMSTEEN................................page 12
period.Rich: There’s nothing forced on song that hits DIRTY LOOKS .............................................page 13
the record, it’s all real. Julien: So that’s me the hardest
just what came out. We wrote a bunch from an emotional ODIN .............................................................page 14
of songs that didn’t make the record as perspective, did it FAITHFULL....................................................page 15
well. Mary: So will we ever hear those? come from a per- NYMPHO........................................................page 16
Julien: Totally, there are a few B-sides in sonal experience?
the works for sure. Julien: Originally METALLICA Boston Show photos..............page 18
Mary: You really wanted to go back to Matty and I were Rocknation newspaper is in over 550 CD stores and
your roots and ended up listening to a messing around hundreds of Rock Clubs and music related stores in
lot of old school rock like GnR, Crue, on the RV and 46 states nationwide.